Putting Out the Fire
by iAir Nomad
Summary: This… was heartbreaking, gut-wrenchingly, excruciatingly, painfully beautiful and real. So, so beautiful… and yet it made Yami want to send his entire being to the shadow realm for all eternity, to see his aibou in such a state. YxYY or brotherly love.
1. Chapter 1

**Ahh, time for something a little different from what I normally do – the intensity, the horror, the angst, the… you get what I mean. And the puzzleshipping, of course. ;) Can't forget that. Enjoy!**

He couldn't explain the madness that had occurred in just the last hour. One moment his aibou had mysteriously disappeared with Yami going out to search for him, the next he was sleeping in the comfort of his lap on the bed with tear stains along his cheeks and blood seeping through the bed sheets and Yami's clothing. He would never _ever_ be able to explain it. It was something… _beyond_ human understanding, beyond this physical human realm and life itself as we knew it. It went far beyond anything he'd ever experienced, and the ex-Pharaoh had experienced a lot of things in all his years of reincarnation and wandering in a body named Yami now in modern times. It was beyond the strangeness even that brought. This… was heartbreaking, gut-wrenchingly, excruciatingly, painfully beautiful and real. So, so beautiful… and yet it made Yami want to send his entire being to the shadow realm for all eternity, to see his aibou in such a state, and the person who caused it.

It was in the late hours of the day, transitioning to early morning—a little past midnight, to be precise. Yugi had accomplished his usual routine a while ago: getting up, showering, popping his breakfast in his mouth and hurrying out the door while hopping on one foot and trying to slide on his other shoe in the process. His heavy backpack wasn't helping him in the slightest. He bid a quick adieu to Solomon and Yami and rushed off to school before he would be late for the second time that week. It all seemed normal; a typical day.

Oh, how _wrong_ he was.

Yami helped Solomon clean the Game Shop for a while, then went out on his own to a café and read his favorite newfound book about the history of Egypt in his time as the pharaoh. Yami was like that—he enjoyed reading books about himself. He returned to the shop a couple hours later and lounged in front of the TV for an hour more. Then out of complete boredom, he rummaged through Yugi's room and made some interesting discoveries in the process, such as locating the diary Yugi kept hidden away under stacks of clothes in his closet. He chuckled at the entries as he flipped through the pages and briefly scanned it's contents—most of them being about Anzu. There was a quick entry about how he finally solved the Millennium Puzzle and met the spirit Yami… then the rest was blank. Yami assumed he hadn't updated it in months.

Then, something out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. There was tiny text written in the bottom left-hand corner that read: "_I still can't trust anyone with my secret… even the spirit._" This interested Yami greatly—should he bring it up to Yugi later? And why wouldn't Yugi trust Yami? They had told each other everything about themselves up to this point. Well, in Yugi's case, _almost_ everything, apparently.

Yami put the diary back where he found it in the closet and piled the clothes on top again to avoid suspicion. He went to the desk and seated himself in the chair, resting his head in his hand as he gazed out the window, thoughts and questions spinning in an endless cycle through his mind. What could Yugi be keeping from him? He felt the worry rise within when he considered the possibilities.

"Aibou…" He whispered mournfully, shutting his eyes. Yugi would be back any moment now. The teen kept his eyes closed as he waited to hear the front door open downstairs, and Yugi's cheerful voice breaking the silence of the building to announce his safe arrival back home, and Yami's worries and fears would dissipate. He waited, and waited.

An hour had passed, and he was still waiting…

Then another hour passed.

Then another.

Yami felt he should worry, but tried to reassure himself (but with extreme suspicion at the same time) that Yugi was probably just with the others. Maybe he went to Jounouchi's house, and forgot to tell him? Considering their newly separate bodies, the mind-link was no longer existent, not to mention Yami's lack of a cell phone. There was no way of knowing. All Yami could do was wait, and hope.

o o o o o

Two hours passed since closing time of the shop, nearing ten-'O-clock, and still no sign of Yugi. Yami was chewing his nails with utmost concern for the smaller teen. Has he fallen unconscious somewhere? Was he kidnapped? How would he know?

Oh God.

Oh God, oh Ra.

Yami's mind taunted him with violent images, unspeakable possibilities behind the reason for Yugi's disappearance. And the ex-Pharaoh could not; _would_ not sit around and wait for a miracle. So with that, he glided downstairs. Solomon agreed to stay at the shop in case his grandson would return. Alone and frightened, Yami set off on his own for his missing little light.

_Aibou, please be okay…_

o o o o o

Yami was sprinting, farther and farther into his own dark element. He was in the area where crimes and gang violence were most frequent, but that was the absolute least of his worries. He had to find his aibou, and gangs were not going to stop him from accomplishing his task. He searched every dark alley, every nook and cranny.

Then, _finally_ after nearing midnight, there was a glimmer of hope: far in the distance, a small voice was weeping behind yet another dark alley that Yami had yet to investigate. As he slowly neared, the weeping suddenly turned to full-on, loud crying. It was one that was weak, desperate and pained. Yami's heart pounded in his ears as he took one cautious step after another to the source. It sounded like his aibou… but he couldn't be completely certain, as crying was not easy to distinguish. Yami pressed a hand on the wall of the building next to him, and turned the corner.

His heart stopped, his muscles tensed, and his very soul felt as though it had evaporated into thin air.

Feathers scattered. Blood. _So much _blood…

At the end of the corridor, was Yugi. But he wasn't himself—no, not entirely. The boy's face was the same, his voice and everything, but at the same time… everything was _off_. The strong, odorous scent of blood wavered in the air, suffocating, causing Yami's eyes to water and plugging his nose with no other scent but the one. Yami's eyes shot open and wide. The one thing that took all his breath away was the sight of the feathers, and he realized the source was on Yugi's back. Little tiny, feathery wings were clearly visible, planted there as if they had been there all his life. Each little white feather was dry and stained with blood, the ends shriveled and dirty. Yami choked, tears falling freely down as he watched the boy curled in a fetal position, pressed up in the corner of the alley, as if shadow spirits were closing him in, sobbing gently and completely oblivious to Yami's presence. Yugi was a fallen angel. It all instantly clicked in his brain—_this_ was the secret his aibou was keeping from him.

Yami took a single step forward, the heel of his boot clicking audibly on the ground, and then all hell broke loose. Knowing he wasn't alone—but mistaking Yami for someone or some_thing_ else—Yugi screamed, and Yami was too petrified to reach up and shield his ears. It was unlike any scream he had heard before, let alone from Yugi… it was ear-piercing, blood-curdling, shrilling—Yami thought it incapable for a human to let out a sound like this, and he was sure as hell being proven wrong. Yami watched as Yugi buried his face in his bloody hands, and more red liquid gushed from the roots of the wings deeply ingrained in his back the more his cries continued. The boy's body suddenly flung itself to press up against the wall as his fingers clawed violently at it, as if seeking a way out of a hole that was impossible to escape from, and his cries started to grow loud again, sparkling tears leaking uncontrollably down his cheeks and mixing with the blood splattered across his face.

Yami followed his very first instinct, and ran to the boy, skidding on his knees next to him and wrapping his arms around Yugi's torso while trying to be careful of the wings. Yugi continued to thrash his arms, but when he felt Yami hold him from behind, he whirled around and took his shoulders in a death grip, screaming in his face:

"_I'm on fire, Yami, I'M ON FIRE!" _

Yami bit his lip, trying with all his might to concentrate on what to do next, but the only thing he could see and think about was all the blood on his aibou. It had become a pool underneath him at this point. He broke out in sobs almost as hysterical as Yugi's. "Oh shit, Yugi…"

"I'M ON FIRE, YAMI, _SAVE ME!_" Yugi screamed, his grip trailing down to his shirt and clutching it tight. "_SAVE ME!_ _YAMI!_" This exclamation was just as loud and petrifying as the first time, Yami screaming Yugi's name in unison. The ruffled feathers upon Yugi's back flared up suddenly, and Yugi's screaming stopped. Yami stopped—the whole world fell silent. Both their heartbeats sounded fast in their ears.

And in another moment, it was all over.

Yugi's eyelids slowly drifted downward and a soft sigh escaped his lips before his whole body came crashing forward into Yami's waiting arms. He lie there, limp, breathless. Yami reached up a shaky hand and searched for a pulse—and sure enough, there was one, steady—normal again. But the boy had fallen unconscious with exhaustion. Yami sobbed softly, his body weight dropping and his head fell to Yugi's shoulder. He cried there, for his aibou, wrapping his arms around his light and not caring in the slightest whether or not blood leaked through his clothing. He didn't understand what happened, he didn't know what or who caused Yugi's terror, and he wasn't about to stop and ask—not now. He did the only thing he felt capable of doing—holding his angel close to him, just like this, kissing him—putting out the fire for him… just like he wanted.

-End-

**Hm. That was… **_**very**_** different from what I normally do. I was on the brink of crying just typing this… ehehehe… anyways, do tell what you thought of it anyway, I'd be interested to hear your opinions!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Soo, I figured from my couple reviewers' comments, I shouldn't keep you guys hanging in terms of… well, what the hell just happened. LOL. So here you go, I don't want this to turn into a full-blown twenty-chapter story because I know for sure I wouldn't be able to keep up with it ^_^; It's a shortie. But hope you guys enjoy the weirdness nonetheless!**

* * *

><p>"Wake up, aibou."<p>

A gentle hand caressed Yugi's blonde locks. He crinkled his nose at the disturbance of his slumber and his eyes fluttered open, violet orbs meeting Yami's soft gaze. He tiredly flicked a glance to his surroundings, finding himself in Yami's lap on the bed. He noticed the radiant glow of the moon breaking through the darkness in his room, making everything appear blue and signaling that it was still nighttime.

"What time is it?" He asked weakly, yawning.

"About three in the morning," Yami responded, his serious expression and intense focus on Yugi never wavering. "Aibou, I have to—"

Suddenly Yugi gasped, causing Yami to stop midsentence. His eyes had adjusted and he finally noticed the giant, dark patch splattered all over Yami's chest and a little on his arms. His eyes widened even more to see more dark patches on the bed underneath them and all over himself, and he registered after a few moments that both boys were coated in his own blood. Tears formed in his eyes. "Yami…"

"I have to clean you up, aibou, before this gets worse. I'll be right back, okay?" Yami said, and Yugi nodded, watching as he peeled himself away and stood, then crossed the room to the bathroom. Yugi looked down at his hands, dried with blood. He suddenly noticed the extra weight on his back, and looked over his shoulder to see his wings drooped and ruffled. Yugi tried to recall what had happened in the last few hours—he grasped his head in his hands, trying with all his might to concentrate and regain what memory he could. Images began to flow in his mind, of all the blood, a group of men crowding around him, laughing maniacally, ripping the feathers from his back one by one in gory motions—slowly, painfully. Leaving him there to die, but being saved by…

Tears poured freely now, dripping from his chin. _Saved by the other me… my angel of darkness. _He brought up a hand to cover his mouth, the tears continuously leaking at the realization like tiny endless streams. His Yami, his darkness, had saved him; carried him despite the blood, all the way back to the comfort of his home where he could recover.

The moment Yami appeared again in the doorway with the first aid kit and approached to sit on the bed again, Yugi reached up trembling hands to cup Yami's cheeks, with undying gratitude.

"Thank you… Mou Hitori no Boku… thank you again, and again… and a thousand times more…" he whispered, and a small sob following. Yami's gaze softened as he mirrored Yugi's actions and held the boy's face in his hands, leaning down to connect their foreheads.

"Anytime." He murmured, lingering there for a moment before breaking away and opening the first aid kit. Yugi stayed perfectly still for him as he looked downcast and allowed Yami to take a cool, wet cloth to dab the dry blood away until his skin was flawless again—save for the wings. Yami also took this opportunity to wipe himself off and rummage through Yugi's closet for a new set of comfortable, clean clothing and bed sheets, throwing everything blood stained to the side for the time being. The smaller proceeded in lifting off the sticky shirt and throwing it with the pile to the ground, slipping on a pair of pajama pants. They felt fresh in good clothing, but Yugi stared at the nightshirt in his hands as though he were staring at an injured bird.

"Aibou?" Yami questioned, seeing Yugi's troubled expression.

"I can't wear this right now. The wings… they… they're…"

"Fragile. Yes, aibou, I understand." Yami smiled a little, and Yugi ducked his face with shame. The ex-Pharaoh took him by one of his bare shoulders. "You know, Yugi, it is nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about. Why wouldn't you tell me… that you were…?"

"I don't know, I just thought," Yugi turned away sorrowfully, unable to look Yami in the eye. "I just assumed… that you would judge me, or… think differently of me. Or worse, leave me…"

"Aibou," Yami whispered mournfully. "Why would you… _ever_ assume something so, so…" he trailed off, too pained in his heart to continue. Yugi could only sigh deeply in reply, shutting his eyes with regret. Yami reached up, pinching his nose out of frustration. "Well. I'll admit, Yugi, that is just about the most pathetic excuse I've heard, coming from you. I would never, _ever_…" Yami paused, shaking his head with a troubled sigh. "You know what, you're right. I do think quite differently about you now, aibou, but not in the way you think I would. It has changed my perspective of you as an individual to something so much higher. This true form of yours, as impossible as it should be, has put my respect and care for you to entirely new levels. You're… you're _incredible_, aibou, and don't _ever_ tell me, or yourself otherwise."

Touched by his words, Yugi shut his eyes tight, sniffling, and proceeded to wipe the tears away with his arm before they could leak again.

"You have a gift, aibou," Yami continued. "It's… like I said, should be impossible, and beyond anything I've ever seen before, but the thing is… it _is_ possible, now that I've seen it with my own eyes. Seeing you for the first time, you're determination to overcome every obstacle life throws at you, putting your very life at risk to bring the puzzle back together while you were caught in that fire… just for the chance to _see_ me one last time… you _are_ an angel, aibou, quite literally. You are always kind to others; try to see a light through all their faults. You are my light to balance out my darkness, Yugi. Two sides of the same coin. A reason for me to protect something so _worth_ protecting," Yami's eyes softened. "I never want to leave your side. This much, I know."

Yugi choked another tiny sob and lunged forward, wrapping his thin, bare arms around Yami's back and Yami immediately responding by also holding the boy close just as tight. He allowed Yugi to cry against him for a few minutes, until his sniffles began to silence. "Now," he whispered. "For goodness sake, aibou… please try to explain to me… _what_ happened to you." He sighed lightly, praying silently that Yugi remembered and would be able to provide answers.

Yugi slowly pulled away, sadness showing in his brilliant violet eyes. He wiped the lingering tears away and nodded, seeming to expect this question sooner or later.

"I was… tortured," he began.

"Tortured!" Yami cried. He said nothing else afterwards, allowing the boy to continue. But whoever did this was going to pay _hell_…

Yugi nodded. "I don't remember who they were. I think it was just a street gang, actually. It was a big group of men. They… must've seen my wings, and thought they were fake or something. They pushed me into the alley against the wall, and… laughed at me as they ripped the feathers off. They started ripping more and more towards the core, and… I started bleeding, a lot… I was crying… and they left. But I don't remember anything after that." He furrowed his eyebrows deeply, trying to recall, but unable to.

Yami listened patiently, also lost in his own thoughts as he recollected the scene he stumbled upon. "Do you… remember saying anything about a fire, aibou?"

"A fire?" Yugi looked at him, puzzled.

"Yes."

He shook his head. "Explain, Mou Hitori no Boku?"

Yami's eyes closed. "I found you in the alley. You were soaked in your own blood. When you felt me near, you began to scream uncontrollably and cried. You began to throw a tantrum. I held onto you and you looked me in the eye and said you were on fire, and you needed me to save you." Yami looked at the smaller expectantly.

But Yugi only blinked at him, lowering his gaze and biting his lower lip. "I don't remember that," he said quietly.

"I think, aibou, someone was openly using shadow magic against you," Yami folded his arms. "They gave you the illusion that you were burning in flames."

"But… maybe it's not that literal. Because actually, if I remember right, when the men were tearing off my feathers… it was really hot and painful feeling all over my body, like my insides were in flames. Maybe that's what I was talking about—the heat got extreme inside." Yugi muttered.

Yami nodded slightly. "Either way, we need to watch our step. There are beings out there capable of shadow magic, I'm sure. The main thing is, your temperature is normal now, you're home and safe." He reached over to place his hand over Yugi's with a gentle smile. Yugi moved closer and brought the taller in another embrace.

"Thank you, Yami," he whispered again.

"You've thanked me quite enough, little one," Yami chuckled low. When they parted, Yami said, "Now. What are we going to do about those wings?"

"Oh, don't worry. Once they get a little rest in tonight, they will disappear in the morning on their own. They always do."

"And the feathers?"

"If I bring the wings out again after tomorrow, they will all be healed. Though, the recent events probably left some scarring at the roots…" Yugi frowned, but Yami smiled, reaching over to touch his cheek.

"It'll all be okay, aibou. A couple more questions, though…" His tone suddenly became grave. Yugi nodded patiently for him to continue.

"What were you doing in that part of the city, anyway?"

_Uh-oh_.

Yugi ducked his face again with a small blush, embarrassed. He tucked in his knees. "I… I don't know."

"You don't know," Yami raised an eyebrow, his arms crossing again. "You don't know why you just _wandered_ in the most dangerous part of the city with your wings clearly out and visible, at night, on your own."

"I-I was exploring! I had never been in that part before, and I thought it would be okay as long as I was careful… and I didn't know my wings were out, they just appeared when my back was turned! … Literally."

Yami gave him a suspicious glare, and Yugi hung his head, knowing what was going to come next, knowing he deserved to be scolded.

"That was extremely careless of you, Yugi. Did you ever stop and _think _about how you worried myself and your grandfather because you didn't return home from school, and didn't notify us as to where you were? We even called up Jounouchi, Anzu, Honda… they didn't know where you went, either! Was about to go gather a freaking search party for you."

Yugi's head suspended lower as he silently received and accepted Yami's lecture. The teen softened a little again after expressing his frustrations, and took Yugi by the shoulders. He leaned in and gently pressed his lips on Yugi's cheek, planting a small kiss there. He retreated and Yugi glanced up at the taller with a shy blush.

"Just don't do that _ever _again, you hear me?"

Yugi sighed inwardly and nodded, looking down at a small wrinkle in the blanket, his gaze held there as he mulled over Yami's words and his own shame.

"You promise?" Yami entreated.

"I promise."

"Say it with me: 'I, Yugi Mutuo, promise I will never—'"

"Yami!"

The taller chuckled as he gathered the first aid kit and moved from the bed. "I trust you, aibou." He then momentarily left the room, leaving Yugi isolated with his thoughts. The boy brought up his legs and hugged them.

As Yami began to walk back to the room, a very audible yawn could be heard. He smirked and pushed the door open slightly to Yugi's bedroom, seeing him seated there in the middle of the bed where he left him, a tired glaze in his eye. Yami crossed the room again to the desk and switched off the lamp he had turned on a while ago to see clearly while tending to the blood on himself and Yugi.

"You should sleep. It _is_ nearing five-'O-clock, after all."

Yugi groaned and a faint _plop_could be heard in the dark, announcing his head on the pillow. "Good thing tomorrow is the start of the weekend… otherwise I would have had to call in sick to the school."

Yami smiled and maneuvered himself in the blinding darkness to sit on the edge of the bed. "Sleep in tomorrow for as long as you need to, aibou. You've had a long day."

There was a shifting sound in the blankets, and Yami was suddenly grabbed by the arm and pulled beside Yugi's lying form.

"Yami," Yugi said quietly.

"Yes?" Yami blinked, still a little surprised by the sudden action.

"You did save me from the fire, didn't you."

"I'm pretty sure when you fell unconscious, that was what stopped it."

There was a silent moment. Then: "You held me, and kissed me."

"So you remember?"

"Vaguely. I think… I almost experienced death. Because, I remember… watching it from afar."

"After you fell unconscious?"

"I don't think I fell unconscious, Yami. I think I died for just a moment. The pain was so excruciating, and I was losing so much blood… but you brought me back. You showed me a reason to keep living."

Yami's eyes were wide at this news, but Yugi was unable to see. There was a long moment of stillness, and then small arms wrapped around the back of his neck as Yugi held him close. Yami did the same, hardly blinking as he tenderly kissed Yugi's forehead. He felt a lump in his throat and his eyes becoming watery, but he kept a strong hold on the limp form in his arms and allowed his lips to linger there on his head.

"Even though you're the angel, I will still be your guardian. Always, aibou."

"No, Yami. I'm certain of it now—you're the other part of me that completes me… you're my angel of darkness. And us angels have to protect each other. We're the exact opposite—and that's why we can't exist without one another."

"Yes."

* * *

><p>- End -<p> 


End file.
